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Edited on Fri Dec-12-08 04:02 PM by votesomemore
of our souls being cut into facets in ethereal realms, produced by our trials and misfortunes. If we believe in our existence in other dimension, what might we look like? Sparkling gem stones is one visual option. The more facets, the more valuable.
And this time worn tale:
A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water in his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said,
"As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot,
"Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house." ... To the Semitic mindset, a waterjug was like one's soul. For a woman to break her water vessel would bring her great shame. It would be as if she broke her own soul. She guarded her water vessel as if it were her very life. That is why the fact that the Samaritan woman on the Book of John who left her water jug at the well was so significant. It was a completely un-Semitic thing to do. It was like leaving her soul behind. It just wasn't "traditional."
If a water girl broke her vessel, all the pieces would be kept and used for some other purpose--Job used some pieces to scrape his sores, for example. Only the smallest pieces would be discarded and buried in the ground. The rest would find a use not as honorable as being a water vessel, but still useful. Some pieces might become a ladle and some might become a brazier, a pan to hold hot coals. This waterjug would become a "vessel of dishonor," that is, it would no longer serve the purpose for which it was originally made, but still useful.
A large piece might become a fire pan (brazier)which might be placed on some young boy's head early in the morning. His mother would "pour hot coals on his head." Then the boy would go from house to house, giving a piece of hot coal to each of his neighbors which they would use to start the fire for the day. It was much more difficult in those days to start a fire than it is today. It is this picture one should see when reading Romans 12:20:
"If your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him a drink. For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." ...
Do what you can for them. The rest is soul work. And you wanting to "help" them is yours. ;) We don't really know what purpose someone will live, or how they need to prepare.
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